Oldies or classics – i.e. movies that were made before the "liberated" end of the 60's – ah... Experiences from the time when stars were Stars, not ordinary people, when studios had the power and the producers were the biggest tyrants.
I haven't always been this big a friend of the classics... At first I thought oldies were dull (why, the majority of them were black-and-white – who'd watch a thing like that?), even though as a kid I'd seen Chaplin's movies and a couple of old musicals... and even liked them. After seeing Mary Poppins at age 6 and The Sound of Music at age 8, I thought Julie Andrews was a goddess.
Generally speaking, though, I was still firmly of the opinion that oldies were utter trash and a waste of time. Oh, and cartoons didn't count, of course. Old WB and Disney cartoons (on TV) were my favourite Saturday and Sunday afternoon pastimes.
When I was about 12 years old, my mother took me to the cinema to see Hitchcock's Rear Window – it wasn't black-and-white, but it was definitely an oldie. It was brilliant! From that moment on, I wanted to see more of Hitchcock's films, as well as almost anything with James Stewart or Grace Kelly in it.
In the first half of 1985, at age 13, I saw Casablanca on TV... and was quite smitten. The story was gripping, there was no typical "happy end"... and gosh, the actors! Even the comic supporting roles were great.
So... that's how my movie mania little by little got started.
More lists here; it's time for the oldies!
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My mother took me and the neighbour's daughter out to see The Sound of Music when I was 8 years old. Near the end of the film the story got so exciting that Kati squeezed my hand very tightly indeed... the following day my hand was black and blue. |
Around age 14 I saw West Side Story on TV... and was completely high from it. Never mind the Romeo & Juliet -scenario (well, it felt more like a secondary plot), the gangs and the music were the main thing for me. And those fights – like grand ballet! |
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I was on the senior level, when they gave away free cinema tickets at school – all to old movies. I went to see Hitchcock's Psycho. It was ten times more powerful on the silver screen than on TV. At one point some girl at the front of the house screamed, when the violins started "THAT" theme on the soundtrack and momma Bates attacked in the stairwell – and the entire auditorium (me included) jumped. In a few seconds one could hear sighs of relief from all around as the people calmed down again. |
Rio Bravo is one of the movies I never tire of. I've got it on videotape, but if it's on TV and I'm at home, I just have to see it. A party? Hah! Unless we're at the dinner table while the movie is on, not even wild horses can drag me away from the telly. Why, one simply must be there to cheer John T. Chance (John Wayne) and his deputies on, to see how Dude (Dean Martin) didn't spill a drop, and to laugh when Stumpy (Walter Brennan) yells, "How'd you like them apples!" |